Vinificator

ABSTRACT

A vinificator has a vat, a plurality of radial driving arms rotatable about a vertical axis and disposed at the upper part of the vat, means for rotating the arms, a corresponding plurality of rakes disposed in the vat below the driving arms and carried by a bush rotatable about the same axis as the driving arms, said rakes being angularly pivotable with respect to the bush, a flexible connection between each driving arm and a corresponding rake, deflector means carried by at least one of said rakes for deflecting towards the wall of the vat the marc forming on top of the contents of the vat, and an evacuation funnel for marc disposed internally adjacent the wall of the vat.

United States Patent Scazzola [54] VINIFICATOR [72] Inventor: Eugene Scazzola, 1 Rue de lAverse, 94

Creteil, France [22] Filed: April 5, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 130,996

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 22, 1970 France ..7018647 [52] US. Cl ..99/278 [51] Int. Cl. ..Cl2b l/22 [58] Field ofSearch ..99/278, 277.2, 277.1, 276,

Schaus ..99/52 Wiesenauer ..99/278 Primary Examiner-Robert W. Jenkins Attorney-William Anthony Drucker 57 ABSTRACT A vinificator has a vat, a plurality of radial driving arms rotatable about a vertical axis and disposed at the upper part of the vat, means for rotating the arms, a corresponding plurality of rakes disposed in the vat below the driving arms and carried by a bush rotatable about the same axis as the driving arms, said rakes being angularly pivotable with respect to the bush, a flexible connection between each driving arm and a corresponding rake, deflector means carried by at least one of said rakes for deflecting towards the wall of the vat the marc forming on top of the contents of the vat, and an evacuation funnel for marc disposed internally adjacent the wall of the vat.

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 7 6 1o 3 as 01L: a tkafi 5 ""lli i 26 2 as I VINIFICATOR The invention relates to a vinificator with controlled working and a lateral funnel for automatic evacuation of the marc.

In known devices of this kind, the evacuation funnels, usually diametrical, are fitted with supplementary extractor components such as endless screws and the like. These fittings, which are always bulky, hamper the disintegrator rakes and create resistances which require considerable motive forces to overcome them. Moreover, their very complexity, while increasing the cost price, decreases the working space and the capacity of the vats, and causes faulty working.

The device of the present invention eliminates these disadvantages. It makes it possible to use either an internal funnel, or a very small marc evacuation funnel fixed on the wall of the vinificator, not only leaving the top part of the vat almost completely free and thus removing all obstacles to the rise of the crust of marc, but also allowing direct evacuation without any ancillary component, in view of the slope of the slide ramp. The bottom of the funnel is used as a cover for the constant-level wine extraction filter, and the rakes have a disintegrating and deflecting effect bringing the fluidified marc towards the peripheral evacuation sector.

This device is characterized by the lateral positioning of the funnel, freeing almost the whole of the space where the crust of marc rises, and by the fitting on one of the rakes sweeping the whole of the surface of the marc of deflector blades propelling it from the center towards the circumference, whence the transporter teeth discharge it into the funnel, the slope of whose bottom ensures gravity flow.

The bin of the funnel, the bottom of which is used as a cover for the filter container, is fitted with a draw-off pipe. This piping, which is flexible, comprises a vertical sector with a curve at the top fitted with a hole communicating with the open air and eliminating the syphon effect. It makes it possible to keep a constant upper level of wine, adjustable as a function of the osmotic conditions for treating the grapes, and is capable of controlling the opening of the intake during continuous workmg.

In the accompanying drawing, which shows a non-limiting embodiment of the invention:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view of the vinificator, in longitudinal section and as a whole.

FIGS. 2, 3 show constructional details of the arms for disintegrating, raking and deflecting the marc.

FIG. 4 is a view from above of the funnel/marc extractor unit.

The continuous vinificator consists, FIG. I, 4 of a container 1 to take the grapes, fed by an intake pipe 2. At the top 3 there is a driving motor 4 whose vertical outlet shaft 5 holds the shafts 6, 7, 8 keyed to the driving shaft 5 by their collar 9.

By means of flexible connections 10, 11 and 11', the ends of these driving arms hold the rakes l2, l3, l4 fixed on a free bush 15. These shafts are mounted on a shoulder 16 integral with the free bush by means of an articulating yoke 17 allowing movement in the horizontal plane only.

One of these shafts 14 is fitted with deflector blades 18 on the sector 19 and with rakes 20 on the sector 21 corresponding to the radial size of the lateral funnel 22 which characterizes the invention, one edge of which may possibly be slightly higher than the other to form a collector to speed up evacuation.

The other rakes l2, 13 are fitted with teeth.

This lateral funnel discharges directly through the aperture 23 to the outside of the vinificator. Its bottom 24 serves as a sealed cover for the filter container 25 whose inside wall is holed in order to retain the grape stalks and mare and allow only the wine to filter through.

The outlet hole 26 of the filter is connected to a pipe known as the constant level pipe formed by a rising sector 27, and provided at the top with a hole communicating with the open air 29 in order to ensure that the level 30 is maintained and to suppress the syphon effect, and this can control the intake in case of continuous-type working.

The advanta es of this device are evident.

Almost the w ole of the surface of the vat is free and allows the marc forming the crust to rise.

The lateral evacuation funnel penetrates inside the vat for a distance which is considerably less than the radius of the latter and at a small point on the circumference, at the same time forming a collector.

The raking system is on two levels; at the top there are driving arms, integral with the driving shaft, and at the bottom, connected to the aforementioned arms by means of chains, there are rakes which, articulated on a free bush stabilized by the shaft, do their job of disintegrating the crust and driving the marc. Due to the propulsion of the driving arms and the resistance of the driven rakes, the flexible chains or connections assume a degree of angle in relation to the vertical which causes the lower rakes to rise slightly. If there is greater resistance, the rakes rise under the adjusting effect of the chain and the horizontal articulation, thus reducing the driving stress. One of the arms is fitted, on the sector between the axle and the end rake, with deflector blades to sweep the fluidified and disintegrated marc towards the circumference in the extraction area; while the other two arms and the end part of the component fitted with blades are responsible for raking and driving towards the funnel, which thus provides for complete and speedy evacuation of the crust, despite its eccentric position. Nevertheless the opening 23 may be at the height 31 (arrow) and the sector 14 may comprise a tipping screen or scoop 32 to effect direct discharge.

Finally, this same funnel with an evacuation ramp eliminating all ancillary extraction equipment is used as a cover for the filter enabling the wine, cleared of stalks, pulp and pips, to be drawn off, while the swan-neck evacuation pipe, open at the top to eliminate the syphon effect, provides a constant level of wine which regulates the intake of grapes and allows automatic self-regulating continuous working. Moreover, this level, the height of which can be adjusted, is adaptable to all grades of grapes.

Nevertheless the shapes, dimensions and positioning of the various components may vary within the limit of the equivalents, as may the materials used to make them, without thereby altering the general concept of the invention just described.

Iclaim:

l. A vinificator comprising a vat, a plurality of radial driving arms rotatable about a vertical axis and disposed at the upper part of the vat, means for rotating the arms, a corresponding plurality of rakes disposed in the vat below the driving arms and carried by a bush rotatable about the same axis as the driving arms, said rakes being angularly pivotable with respect to the bush, a flexible connection between each driving arm and a corresponding rake, deflector means carried by at least one of said rakes for deflecting towards the wall of the vat the marc forming on top of the contents of the vat, and an evacuation funnel for marc disposed internally adjacent the wall of the vat.

2. A vinificator, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rakes are provided with disintegrator means, and wherein said one rake is provided centrally with deflector blades for sweeping the disintegrated marc from the center towards the wall of the vat, said one rake having raking teeth on its outer sector.

3. A vinificator, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said evacuation funnel comprises a sloping ramp which serves also as the top cover of a filter secured within the vat and having a grid through which wine can be drawn off from the vat.

4. A vinificator, as claimed in claim 3, wherein said filter is connected to an external vertical pipe comprising a swan-neck having an air intake to eliminate syphon effect. 

1. A vinificator comprising a vat, a plurality of radial driving arms rotatable about a vertical axis and disposed at the upper part of the vat, means for rotating the arms, a corresponding plurality of rakes disposed in the vat below the driving arms and carried by a bush rotatable about the same axis as the driving arms, said rakes being angularly pivotable with respect to the bush, a flexible connection between each driving arm and a corresponding rake, deflector means carried by at least one of said rakes for deflecting towards the wall of the vat the marc forming on top of the contents of the vat, and an evacuation funnel for marc disposed internally adjacent the wall of the vat.
 2. A vinificator, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rakes are provided with disintegrator means, and wherein said one rake is provided centrally with deflector blades for sweeping the disintegrated marc from the center towards the wall of the vat, said one rake having raking teeth on its outer sector.
 3. A vinificator, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said evacuation funnel comprises a sloping ramp which serves also as the top cover of a filter secured within the vat and having a grid through which wine can be drawn off from the vat.
 4. A vinificator, as claimed in claim 3, wherein said filter is connected to an external vertical pipe comprising a swan-neck having an air intake to eliminate syphon effect. 